1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a character
The present invention relates to a character information processor having a function of printing an input character string (the term xe2x80x9ccharacter stringxe2x80x9d as used herein includes symbols, pictographs, and the like). The present invention particularly concerns a seal or stamp producing apparatus which forms an imprint pattern on different sizes and shapes of seal or stamp medium.
2. Discussion of Related Art
These days, seal producing apparatuses with which the user can readily make a seal have become prevalent in companies and homes. Such a seal producing apparatus has an input function similar to those of other types of information processors, such as personal computers, word processors, and the like.
Meanwhile, in the case where a seal is produced by using a seal producing apparatus, the imprint pattern to be engraved on the seal face of the seal often contains, as a part or all of the imprint pattern, a fixed phrase character string portion which is usually closely related to the use of the seal as well as an optional character string portion selected by the user. As examples of such an imprint pattern constituted by a combination of an arbitrarily input character string portion and a fixed phrase character string portion, xe2x80x9cSuzuki""s Personal Libraryxe2x80x9d in the case of a seal used for personal library (i.e. personal books) (hereinafter, a seal used for personal library is often referred as xe2x80x9cpersonal library sealxe2x80x9d) owned by a person named Suzuki, and xe2x80x9cCatalogue Enclosedxe2x80x9d in the case of a seal for showing that the envelope or box contains an enclosure (hereinafter, a seal used for showing that the envelope or box contains an enclosure will be often referred to as xe2x80x9cenclosure sealxe2x80x9d).
In conventional seal producing apparatuses, an input method, xe2x80x9cform input methodxe2x80x9d is employed, in addition to an ordinary input method. When the form input method is employed, producing a seal carrying such an imprint pattern containing a fixed phrase character string portion is facilitated to some extent.
This will be explained by way of an example case in which a private library seal having an impring pattern of xe2x80x9cSuzuki""s Personal Libraryxe2x80x9d, which is constituted by a combination of an optional character siring portion xe2x80x9cSuzuki""sxe2x80x9d and a fixed phrase character string portion xe2x80x9cPersonal Libraryxe2x80x9d, is produced by using the form input method.
First, the user turns the input method from an ordinary input method to the xe2x80x9cform input methodxe2x80x9d, and selects xe2x80x9cpersonal libraryxe2x80x9d as an item of use of seal. In response to this operation conducted by the user, the apparatus displays a character input screen of xe2x80x9cname [personal library]xe2x80x9d, in which the item xe2x80x9cnamexe2x80x9d shows the optional character string portion and the item xe2x80x9cpersonal libraryxe2x80x9d embraced by the blankets shows fixed phrase character string portion. Under the form input method, the input of the entire character string is completed only by inputting his name xe2x80x9cSuzukixe2x80x9d at the optional character string portion, that is, it is not necessary to input the fixed phrase character string portion xe2x80x9cpersonal libraryxe2x80x9d. Also, the characters are automatically arranged by the apparatus so that the arrangement of the characters of the printed imprint pattern becomes well-balanced.
Note that, even where the form input method is employed, the fixed phrase character string portion xe2x80x9cprivate sealxe2x80x9d can be deleted. Further, different print attributes may be applied to the optional character string portion and the fixed phrase character string portion. For example, the fonts of the character string portions xe2x80x9cSuzuki""sxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cPersonal Libraryxe2x80x9d may be different from each other.
Meanwhile, among seals, there are some seals whose imprint pattern is composed of only a fixed phrase character string portion (hereinafter, a seal whose imprint pattern is composed of only a fixed phrase character string portion will often referred to as xe2x80x9cfixed phrase sealxe2x80x9d), and such fixed seals are already commercially available. Examples of such a fixed phrase seal include a seal having a character string of xe2x80x9cxe2x80x9d (meaning xe2x80x9cconfidentialxe2x80x9d), a seal having a character string of xe2x80x9cxe2x80x9d (meaning xe2x80x9cregistered mailxe2x80x9d), and a seal having a character string of xe2x80x9cxe2x80x9d (meaning xe2x80x9cspecial deliveryxe2x80x9d). It often happens that the user wishes to produce such a fixed phrase seal by using the seal producing apparatus.
However, if such a fixed phrase seal is intended to be produced by using the ordinary input method, although the fixed phrase character string portion and arrangement of the characters in the character string are fixedly determined, the entire character string and the printing attributes of the character string must be input every time the fixed phrase seal is intended to be produced. Thus, inputting operations become considerably complicated, so that the usability of the apparatus is greatly lowered.
In contrast, when the form input method is employed in producing the fixed phrase seal, it is advantageous over the ordinary input method in that input of a part or all of the character string can omitted. However, in the form input method, it is allowed to change the characters and printing attributes, so that the user is liable to mistakenly perform such operations, so that he is liable to fail to obtain his desired character string. Further, the form input method cannot be applied to a fixed phrase seal of the type in which a special enclosing pattern is included as a part of the imprint pattern, such as a xe2x80x9cxe2x80x9d seal (see FIG. 11B), or of the type in which a special font is used, such as a xe2x80x9cz,4 xe2x80x9d (meaning xe2x80x9cNewYear""s Giftxe2x80x9d) seal (see FIG. 8A).
A possible option to solve these problems is to provide special fonts used only for the character data of the fixed phrase, that is, fonts which are not usually used for ordinary seals but needed for fixed phrase seals. However, in order that such special fonts can be used in ordinary input operations, such special fonts must be stored in the apparatus with respect to several thousands of characters. Thus, the efficiency of the input operations are greatly lowered, so that this option cannot be adopted.
Note that the above-mentioned problems also happen when producing a label having a fixed phrase character string printed thereon, such as xe2x80x9cxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cxe2x80x9d, etc.
Under the above circumstances, a character information processor with which the user can readily produce a fixed phrase seal or a fixed phrase label on which a fixed phrase is engraved or printed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a character information processor with which the user can readily produce a fixed phrase seal or a fixed phrase label on which a fixed phrase is engraved or printed.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a character information processor which is adapted to print an input character string in accordance with a designated printing attribute on a print medium in which limitation is imposed on at least one of the transversal or longitudinal directions, said character information processor including: (1) print medium detecting means for detecting a type of print medium which is currently loaded in said character information processor; (2) fixed phrase information storing means for storing information used for printing a fixed phrase designated out of a plurality of fixed phrases; (3) fixed phrase selecting means for causing the user to designate the fixed phrase to be printed; and (3) printing means for printing, on the print medium currently loaded in said character information processor, the fixed phrase thus designated in accordance with a printing attribute determined by the type of the print medium detected by the print medium type detecting means and the information stored in the fixed phrase information storage means.